Victoria Quinn (15) scored a pair of goals for the Panthers, who built a 3-1 lead with nine minutes left to go before Walpole rallied to pull out an overtime win. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

TAUNTON, Mass. – Cassi Ronan picked up the ball inside the 30-yard-line and pushed the ball forward. She weaved her way past a pair of defenders and then touched it past a third to get clear on goal. The Walpole defender eventually caught up to Ronan, but not before she carried the ball nearly 70 yards.

The defender managed to slow her down but a foul was called, giving the Franklin senior a penalty stroke. She buried the shot, giving the goalie no chance and giving the Panthers a 3-1 lead over the No. 1 seed with just nine minutes remaining in Thursday night’s Div. 1 South semifinal at Taunton’s Tiger Aleixo Stadium.

It seemed like the Panthers, seeded 13th in the tournament, were finally going to end Walpole’s dominance in the rivalry and do it on the biggest stage. But, instead, the goal seemed to wake the Porkers up and they came storming back into the game.

Walpole scored twice in the closing minutes, including a goal with just two minutes left, to force overtime and then added a game-winner eight minutes later to stun Franklin 4-3 and advance to the South final.

“I thought we had it in the bag,” said Franklin coach Michelle Hess. “I thought we completely dominated the first half, dominated 75 percent of the game and in control. They definitely needed to comeback and got a spark, which probably speaks to their experience in tournament play and getting this far.”

Franklin has struggled in recent years against the Porkers, who are a perennial state title contender, but the Panthers weren’t intimidated and played at least an even game through the opening 50 minutes.

The Porkers jumped in front after just three minutes. Christina Luccini (18 saves) stopped the first shot by Molly Weiand, but Emery Murphy was on hand to tap in the rebound. Rather than let their heads drop, the Panthers answered back just five minutes later when Victoria Quinn redirected a shot by Ashley Reutlinger after a quick restart.

Franklin nearly took the lead right away when Regan Paterson got loose behind the Walpole defense, but her shot was saved. A minute later, Paterson pressured the Walpole goal and had a clearance rebound off her and just wide of the post.

In the 18th minute, Quinn and Amanda Lewandowski battled to keep the ball in the attacking zone and it opened up a chance for Quinn but she was unable to put it on frame. A minute later, she had her second of the night by being the first to react on a loose ball in the middle of the crease.

Walpole nearly tied it right after halftime with a quick move from a corner but Luccini came up with a sliding save to keep it out. Maeve Ledwith showed off her game awareness shortly after when she got behind Luccini and cleared a goal-bound shot off the line.

The Panthers nearly doubled the lead with 10 minutes to go. Quinn started the move down the left side with a pass to Paterson, who drove the ball all the way to the end line. She sent a ball towards goal that was tipped at the near post by Reutlinger, but only into the side of the goal. One minute later, Ronan got a head of steam and went on her amazing run to make it 3-1.

“She’s a phenomenal player,” Hess said of Ronan. “She’s strong, smart, and she definitely leads by example. She shows that when you put your nose to the grindstone you can make it happen.”

The third goal seemed to wake Walpole up. The Porkers flipped a switch in the final 10 minutes to put Franklin back on its heels and open up chance after chance.

Murphy got the comeback started with her second goal of the night, tipping in a corner to make it 3-2. Luccini was doing everything she could to keep the Panthers in front. She made a pair of saves to deny the Porkers and the rebound was knocked into the outside of the net by Jessica Tosone.

“She absolutely killed it,” Hess said of Luccini. “She was steady for us during the season but she rose to the occasion and stood on her head in every playoff game. Today was the epitome. She was just lights out.”

With just two minutes remaining, Luccini came out to challenge on a pass through the middle, but Weiand got to the ball first and managed to pull it past the goalie and just inside the post for a tie game.

In overtime, Luccini continued to be the hero for the Panthers, stopping both Audra Tosone and Brooke Skulski from close-range.

“I called a timeout and tried to settle them down a little bit and it worked for a little bit but then I think the emotions just started to rise and we made a few little mistakes. I’m very, very proud of my team.

Unfortunately for Franklin, Walpole looked like it had another gear while the Panthers were tiring. Off a corner, Caileen Quinn ripped a shot from straightaway, through a crowd, and into the back of the net for the win.

“They’re a quick team,” said Hess. “We tried to have our first step to the ball but they definitely have speed. They definitely seemed like they had a little more pep in their step. We were playing a little defensive.”

It is the second straight year that Franklin (13-6-2) has been knocked out in overtime in the tournament. Last year, King Philip went on to win the South title, a feat that Walpole will look to replicate on Saturday afternoon.

North Attleboro, 4 @ Stoughton, 0 – Final – Click here for a photo gallery of this game. – North Attleboro found the back of the net three times in the first half and went on to add one more in the second half to beat Stoughton. Alex Pfeffer opened the scoring in the 7th minute, one-timing a cross from Andrew Tolfa. Five minutes later, Joe Hilf and Joey Coscarella combined at the top of the area, the latter converting his chance inside the box. Matt Mordini set up the third goal with great hustle, tracking down a ball right on the end line and finding Alvaro Martinez-Calvo at the far post. James Sales added a fourth goal on a rebound in the second half. Nolan Gerome had 21 saves in net for the Black Knights.

Oliver Ames, 4 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Oliver Ames outscored Taunton 3-1 in the second half to earn two points on the road. OA opened the scoring when Jimmy Keane found the back of the net on an assist from Brady deVos. Taunton tied the game just before the break to make it 1-1 heading into the second half. Niko Byron opened his account for the season to put OA ahead, finishing a service from Colin Milliken. Sean Flaherty (assisted by Kevin Louhis) put the visiting Tigers up 3-1 but Taunton cut the deficit to just one with 16 minutes to play. But Milliken iced the game, converting a penalty kick to make it 4-2.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Canton, 5 – Final

Field Hockey
Attleboro, 4 @ Oliver Ames, 1 – Final – Attleboro scored three goals in the second half to pull away from the Tigers, avenging a shutout loss to the Tigers earlier this season. The Bombardiers led 1-0 at the break before OA tied it early in the second. Anna Beck, Hannah Webster, Emelia Westwater and Emma Briggs each scored once for Attleboro.

Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Lily Daly and Sophia Lowe each scored twice as the Warriors pulled away from the Scarlet Hawks in the second half. Sophia DiCenso also scored for Foxboro, which led 1-0 at half.

Mansfield, 0 @ Franklin, 5 – Final – Franklin set the tone early, scoring twice in the opening five minutes, in a big 5-0 win over Mansfield. Victoria Quinn had both of the first two goals, the first assisted by Amanda Lewandowski just 86 seconds into the contest. Quinn made it 2-0 on assists from Ashley Reutlinger and Regan Paterson just before the five minute mark. Lewandowski (from Reutlinger) made it 3-0 at the midway point of the first half. Paterson (from Lewandowski) made it 4-0 in the 36th minute and Quinn completed the hat trick with an unassisted tally in the 39th minute. Christina Luccini made nine saves for the shutout and FHS head coach Michelle Hess said Maeve Ledwith had a fantastic game defensively and Cassi Ronan had a great game controlling the field from the center mid position.

Sharon @ North Attleboro, 6:30

King Philip, 4 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – King Philip scored a pair of goals in each half to earn a shutout win on the road at Taunton. Claire Lawler scored both of KP’s first half tallies, both off assists from Alli Meehan, Lawler opened the scoring in the 7th minute and then made it 2-0 in the 10th minute. Cristina Gifun (assisted by Meehan) struck less than five minutes into the second half to make it 3-0 and Meehan capped the scoring in the 46th minute, converting a pass from Nicole Connor.

Volleyball
Attleboro, 0 @ Oliver Ames, 3 – Final – Oliver Ames senior Sadie Homer recorded her 1,000th career dig as the Tigers rolled to a win at home (25-16, 25-19, 25-10). Homer, who had 37 digs, is just the second player in program history to reach the 1,000-point club. Caitlin Cavanaugh had 12 kills, Jordan Bosse added 10 kills, and Grace McCallum chipped in with six aces for OA. Attleboro’s Amanda Kadisveskis had five kills, three blocks, and an ace, Chelsea Calgagni finished with 11 kills and six digs, and Jessica Matheson had 13 digs for the Bombardiers.

Mansfield, 1 @ Franklin, 3 – Final – Mansfield became just the third team to take a set against the Panthers this year, winning the second set to make it 1-1 but Franklin notched convincing wins in the next two sets to get the win (25-19, 23-25, 25-14, 25-13). For the Hornets, Greenly Kelly had nine kills and eight service points, Sam Sternberg had eight digs and eight service points, and Ashley Santos chipped in with five kills.

King Philip, 3 @ Taunton, 1 – Final – Taunton won a tight second set but King Philip didn’t let the momentum swing to the home team, taking the match 3-1 (25-18, 25-27, 25-10, 25-13). For the Warriors, Catherine Waldeck had 15 kills and a block, Nicole Coughlan added seven kills and two blocks, Shayla Weitzman finished with eight digs and two aces.

Sharon, 1 @ North Attleboro, 3 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, North Attleboro earned the win by taking the next two sets against Sharon (25-10, 21-25, 25-14, 25-20). Hayley Gaskin set the offense in motion with 40 assists while Tatiana Sotelo had a career-high 22 kills for the Rocketeers.

Golf
Attleboro @ Dighton-Rehoboth, 3:30

Franklin, 162 @ Stoughton, 187 – Final – Franklin was led by medalist Quentin Faro, who carded a low-round of 37. Matt D’Errico added a 39 for Franklin, and Gerard Collins and Jake Peterson each shot a 43. Stoughton was led by Josh Hough win a 42.

Sharon, 175 @ Stoughton, 187 – Final – Sharon’s Corey Carter earned medalist honors, shooting a 37 to pace the Eagles to a win over Stoughton at Easton Country Club. Max Brody added a 42 for the Eagles and Nathan Daley carded a round of 45. Josh Hough led the Black Knights with a round of 42.

Oliver Ames, 158 @ Mansfield, 154 – Final – Mansfield earned its biggest win of the season by upsetting visiting Oliver Ames. OA’s Nolan Donze had a medalist round of 35 but Mansfield got contributions from Nate Morreale (36), Jason See (37), Joseph Gormley (40) and Ryan Dow (41) to get the win. Thomas Walsh added a round of 39 for the Tigers and Tate Hadges and Sam Becker each shot a 42.

Milford, 173 @ Mansfield, 154 – Final – Nate Morreale carded a round of 36 and Jason See shot a 37 to pace the Hornets to a win over visiting Milford. Joseph Gormley added a round of 40 while Ryan Dow chipped in with a 41.

Boys Soccer
Oliver Ames, 0 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Both sides had a handful of chances but couldn’t convert as each team took a point from the draw. Oliver Ames goalie Jacob Lerman an Attleboro keeper Andre Menard both had strong outings.

Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 2 – Final – Canton scored once and each half, rolling to a win over visiting Stoughton. Griffin Roach put the Dogs up 1-0 midway through the first half, finishing off a throw-in from Paul Corcoran. Early in the second half, Simon Cruz doubled the hosts’ lead, burying a corner kick. Stoughton’s Ryan Reis had a pair of chances late for the visitors, with a header and a volley, but Canton goalie Alejandro Correal made the save both times. Stoughton goalie Carter Gerome finished with 17 saves.

Foxboro, 0 @ Milford, 4 – Final – Walisson de Oliveira scored a hat trick to pace the Hawks to a big win over visiting Foxboro. Sophomore Leo Coelho opened the scoring in the 10th minute for the Hawks, de Oliveira doubled the lead in the 25th minute, and then tallied twice in the second half. Coelho scored on a through ball from Jordan Borges, who also set de Oliveira up to make it 2-0. In the second half, de Oliveira scored directly off a free kick, finding the top corner, and then again off a counter. Josh Orellana made four saves for the shutout in his season debut while Zach Browne and Joao Boaventura played well defensively for the Hawks.

Franklin, 0 @ Mansfield, 2 – Final – Mansfield senior Luke Savoie continued his hot start to the season, scoring a pair of goals in the Hornets’ win over Franklin. After a throw from Cam Eddy, freshman Dylan Buchanan found Savoie to put the Hornets up 1-0 in the 22nd minute. And just before halftime, Graham Wells played Savoie in behind the defense and the senior finished one-on-one with the keeper. Anthony Salisbury (five saves) and Cam Bovey (five saves) combined for the shutout for Mansfield.

Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 0 – Final – King Philip carried the play and threatened to scored but settled for a scoreless draw with Taunton. Brian McCarthy, Andrew Thompson, and Wes Orzell had strong games defensively while goalie Nick Beltramini came up big on a handful of occasions for the Warriors.

North Attleboro, 0 @ Sharon, 0 – Final

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 1 @ Oliver Ames, 2 – Final – Camryn O’Connor scored the game-winner for OA in the final two minutes of the game. Daniella Ferrini gave the Tigers the lead 1-0 at the break (assisted by Leah Johnson), but the Bombardiers evened the score in the second half. OA coach Britt Sellmayer said Maeve Hogan and Emma Pereira played well.

Foxboro, 5 @ Milford, 0 – Final – Kailee McCabe scored a pair of goals and had an assist for the Warriors, while Grace Ferguson, Lizzie Davis, and Jordyn Collins each scored one in the win. Katelyn Mollica, Alyssa Vandenboom and Davis each had an assist. Foxboro coach Katie Stalcup said that the Warriors got off to a slow start but “once we found our game we took control of the game.”

Sharon, 0 @ North Attleboro, 8 – Final – Ashlyn Gaulin had four goals and two assists to lead North Attleboro to a big win. Haley Ferrin scored the opener for North with a header on a corner, Lydia Santos had a brace and Lily Cameron added a goal on a penalty kick. Kayla Pasquel had three assists and Liv Bishop had one. Emma Noreck and Regan Fein split time in net to keep the clean sheet.

King Philip, 8 @ Taunton, 2 – Final – Avery Snead and Chloe Layne each scored hat tricks, as KP picked up a big road win to stay atop the Kelley-Rex division. Snead opened the scoring off a Layne assist 20 minutes into the game and then Layne doubled the lead off a Faye Veilleux assist five minutes later. Megan Flanagan scored of an Alex Wapenski assist in the 37th to cut the lead in half (the first goal KP has allowed this season), but the Warriors scored five times after the break. Abby Baker scored off an Ally Stanton assist a minute into the second half, Snead scored from Layne four minutes later, and Layne scored from Snead in the 47th minute. Kiana Fernandes got one back with a goal from Paige Tolan, but then Snead scored unassisted for KP, Layne scored from Makayla Griffin, and Jenny Montville tacked on an unassisted goal in the 76th minute. Grace Pimenta made four saves and Izzy Anslow made nine for the Tigers.

Field Hockey
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames scored two goals in the first half and added an insurance tally in the second in a win over Attleboro. Sophomore Hannah Stryke gave the Tigers the lead with 11:26 left in the first half, finishing off a feed from Cassie Gennis. Gennis’ shot was tipped by Georgia Costello five minutes later to make it 2-0 heading into half. In the second half, Meghan Rockey capitalized on a rebound off the pads on a penalty corner in the second half to secure the win. Kara Ostrander in goal had 5 saves to secure her first shutout of the season. Attleboro’s Shaelyn Harrison had eight saves in net for the Bombardiers.

Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 5 – Final

Milford, 0 @ Foxboro, 6 – Final

Franklin, 2 @ Mansfield, 4 – Final – For Franklin, Regan Patterson and Amanda Lewandowski each had first half goals but the Panthers fell on the road to Mansfield. Cassi Ronan set Paterson up at the 22nd mark of the first half while Maeve Ledwith assisted on Lewandowski’s goal just over four minutes later. Anna Jardine made 11 saves in net for Franklin.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Sharon, 0 – Final

Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 4 – Final – “It was a great team effort from top to bottom,” said KP co-head coach Erin MacDonald. The Warriors scored twice in each half in the win. Nicole Connor (from Kate Lindmark) and Claire Lawlor (from Alli Meehan) put the hosts ahead 2-0 after 30 minutes of play. Connor made it 3-0 on an assist from Meehan, and Meehan capped the scoring (assisted by Lindmark).

Volleyball
Oliver Ames, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames went on the road and recorded a 3-0 sweep (25-18, 25-16, 25-13). OA freshman Hailey Bourne stepped up and had a great serving game for the Tigers. Senior Sadie Homer added 16 digs, Allie Kemp finished with 15 assists, and Jordan Bosse chipped in with 12 kills and two aces. For Attleboro, Chelsea Calgagni had nine kills and an ace, Faith Hindy added two aces, and Ana Leonardo (two aces) dished out 13 assists.

Stoughton, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton defended home court with a sweep over Davenport rival Stoughton (25-20, 25-21, 25-17). Julia Minichiello anchored the defense with an impressive performance for the Bulldogs, finishing with nine digs while adding 22 service points (three aces). Olivia Chinsen added 10 assists, four kills, and four aces while Nicole Brown and Taylor Harris combined for 16 kills. CHS head coach Pat Cawley said Liz Bickett impressed in her first varsity start, playing a strong match at the net.

Milford, 3 @ Foxboro, 2 – Final

Franklin, 3 @ Mansfield, 0 – Final – Franklin senior Lauren McGrath went on a 9-0 service run during the third set to help the Panthers put away a pesky Mansfield side, 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-5). McGrath also had 25 assists and two aces while Riley Marino added seven digs and two aces. Maggie Doyle had a team-high eight kills and three blocks, Ellie Wisniewski added seven kills, Peyton Arone chipped in with six kills, and Hailey Sanders finished with five kills for Franklin. For Mansfield, Sam Sternberg had 11 digs, Katie Dardinski had five digs, and Olivia McGrath finished with six kills.

Taunton, 0 @ King Philip, 3 – Final – King Philip used strong serving to knock off visiting Taunton, 3-0 (25-14, 25-16, 25-21). Kat Kmetz (two kills) had 11 aces and a total of 17 service points while Grace Ely (11 kills) added five aces with 10 service points. Nicole Coughlan added five kills and two blocks while Caroline Robertson finished with four kills and two blocks for King Philip. For Taunton, McKenzie Lucie (ace) led the back row with 10 digs and Kamila Cuevas had a strong game at the net.

North Attleboro, 3 @ Sharon, 1 – Final – After splitting the first two sets, North Attleboro edged the Eagles in each of the net two to get the win on the road (25-22, 21-25, 25-23, 25-17). Kylie Melanson went on a terrific service run in the first set to get the Rocketeers back in it and finished with eight kills. Joanna Collins-Bilyeu had 19 assists and Hayley Gaskin added 12 assists for Big Red.

Boys Cross Country
Mansfield, 15 @ Attleboro, 45 – Final – Mansfield senior Paxton Howard crossed the finish line in just under 16 minutes to lead the Hornets to a win. Mansfield had the top six finishers and eight of the top 10. Attleboro sophomore Nate Seybert was the top runner for the Bombardiers, finishing seventh overall.

Foxboro, 29 @ Canton, 26 – Final – Foxboro’s Ryan Proulx took first in the race but Canton took three of the next four finishes to edge the Warriors in the meet. Kyle Downing was Canton’s top runner, taking second overall with teammate Alex Maddestra coming in right behind for third. Canton’s Jack Hernon’s was fifth overall at 20:07.

King Philip, 36 @ Franklin, 23 – Final – Franklin took four of the top six spots and seven of the top 10 to earn a victory over King Philip. Junior Tyler Brogan took first with 16:22, edging out King Philip’s Mike Griffin. Franklin senior Michael Hagen was third while sophomore Nicholas Calitri and senior Dylan Kehoe were fifth and sixth, respectively.

Sharon, 19 @ Milford, 38 – Final – Sharon grabbed first, second, and third and ran away with a win over Milford. Senior Alex Starovoytov had the top time, clocking in at 16:49 to win the race. Junior Jacob Dubin and sophomore Jordan Saks took second and third, respectively, for the Eagles. Miflord’s Gianni Pumo was the top runner for the Hawks, taking fourth.

Girls Cross Country
Mansfield, 23 @ Attleboro, 32 – Final – Mansfield senior Maggie Riley had a 43 second PR from a season ago, taking second overall at 19:05 to help the Hornets beat the Bombardiers. Attleboro’s Shea Jamieson took first but the Hornets had second, third (Tessa Lancaster), fifth (Emma Lamson), sixth (Brinly Meelia) and seventh (Jessica Alestock), the last three spots clinching the win for Mansfield.

Foxboro, 17 @ Canton, 43 – Final – Foxboro had the top three runners in the meet and eight of the top 10 in a big win at Canton. Abby Hassman and Lexi Quinn each crossed at 22:24 to pace the Warriors while Lindsey Nelson was third for Foxboro. Canton’s Chloe Pennacchio took fourth overall as the top runner for the Bulldogs.

King Philip, 30 @ Franklin, 27 – Final – King Philip had the top two finishers but Franklin’s depth paid off, taking the next three spots and five of the top eight spots. KP’s Maya Evans was first followed by teammate Ryenn Hart. Franklin’s Julia Fenerty, Sidney Hawks, and Kat Walbert were third, fourth, and fifth overall, respectively.

Golf
Franklin, 165 @ Attleboro, 178 – Final – Franklin’s Matt D’Errico earned match medalist honors, carding a round of 39 to pace the Panthers to a win at Stone-E-Lea over Attleboro. Jack Paterson added a 40 and Quinten Faro carded a 40 for Franklin. For Attleboro, Jake Moulton had a team-low round of 42.

Oliver Ames, 160 @ King Philip, 176 – Final – Oliver Ames’ Liam Barry shot a medalist round of 37 at Wentworth Hills to help the Tigers beat King Philip. Nolan Donze shot a 38 for OA while Jared Spillane added a 42 and Thomas Walsh carded a round of 43.

Sharon, 153 @ North Attleboro, 168 – Final – Sharon had three golfers shoot under 40 on the North course at Heather Hill to beat North Attleboro. Ethan Skelly shot a 1-under par round of 35 to earn medalist honors, Sam Fergenbaum shot an even par 36, and Corey Carter was 1-over at 37. North Attleboro’s Matt Wanless had a team-low round of 41 while Marcus Costa and Aidan Weir each shot 42 on the day.

Boys Soccer
Mansfield, 1 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Luke Devine scored the game-winner in the 52nd minute to help the Hornets move to 3-0 on the season. Connor Eames came away with a steal just over midfield and passed to junior Peter Oldow. Oldow dummied the pass allowing Luke Savoie to hit a one-timer on frame. The bid was saved but Devine was there to finish it. Mansfield goalie Anthony Salisbury made 12 saves for his first career shutout.

Girls Soccer
Attleboro, 0 @ Mansfield, 5 – Final – Steph Kemp scored two goals and had an assist, Bryn Anderson and Sydney Mulkern each had a goal and an assist, and Kylie Tryder scored her first career goal for the Hornets.

Canton @ Foxboro – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Franklin, 0 @ King Philip, 2 – Final – The Warriors scored twice in the first half to secure the win. Ally Stanton scored the eventual game-winner off a cross by Chloe Layne 15 minutes into the game and then Layne added the second from the penalty spot four minutes later. Taylor Butler made six saves for the clean sheet. Breanna Atwood made nine saves for the Panthers and Franklin coach Tom Geysen said that his team created some good chances and “took some steps forward.”

Milford @ Sharon – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Oliver Ames @ Taunton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Field Hockey
Mansfield @ Attleboro – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

Foxboro @ Canton – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/26 at 3:45.

King Philip, 4 @ Franklin, 0 – Final – King Philip scored a pair of goals in each half and had a strong defensive effort to blank Franklin. KP freshman Meghan MacDonald scored less then two minutes into the game on a feed from Kate Lindmark to give the Warriors a strong start. Alli Meehan scored the next three goals for the Warriors, tallying unassisted goals at the midway point of each the first and second half, and scoring off a feed from Dana Truini in the second half. Franklin’s Christina Luccini made four saves and Anna Jardine had nine saves for the Panthers. Marissa Canesi and Maeve Ledwith each had strong games defensively for Franklin.

Sharon @ Milford, 3:45

Stoughton @ North Attleboro – Postponed to Thursday at 3:45.

Taunton @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to Wednesday, 9/26 at 6:00.

Volleyball
Mansfield, 3 @ Attleboro, 0 – Final – Mansfield defended home court with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-11, 25-20) win over visiting Attleboro. Olivia McGrath had 10 kills for the Hornets while Stephanie Walker and Olivia Fernando combined for 25 assists. Attleboro’s Chelsea Calcagni led the Bombardiers with seven kills and three aces while Ana Leonardo chipped in with eight assists, a kill, and a block.

Foxboro, 0 @ Canton, 3 – Final – Canton opened its home slate with a 3-0 sweep (25-13, 25-12, 25-22) against Foxboro. Canton’s Nicole Brown had an all around outstanding day with eight kills, 12 assists, and two aces while Sydney Gallery added five kills and was strong at the net. Megan McDonough ran the defense defense with 12 digs and added an ace for the Bulldogs.

Stoughton, 3 @ North Attleboro, 0 – Final – Stoughton notched its second straight road win to open the season, sweeping North Attleboro 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 25-9). Molly Turner served well for the Black Knights, recording seven aces and adding four kills and four blocks. Amaya Morris played well from the middle, killing six of her nine attempts.

Golf
Sharon @ Canton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Taunton @ Stoughton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Attleboro @ Oliver Ames – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
King Philip @ Mansfield – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
Milford @ North Attleboro – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.

2018 Hockomock League Field Hockey Preview

Attleboro is looking to bounce back from a five-win season in 2017 and make a push up the league standings by mixing experienced players with a talented group of underclassmen that could make instant contributions for the Bombardiers.

The midfield will be a strength for the Bombardiers this season with returning starters like senior Kyra Lyons and junior Anna Back. Up front, leading scorer Grace Mayer graduated but senior Alex Compton was second on the team in points and will be counted on to fire in the goals. Attleboro will be hoping for more consistency from the defensive group this season to cut down on the 76 goals it allowed last year and senior goalie Shealyn Harrison will help keep things organized.

Attleboro coach Lindsay Antunes said, “We are looking forward to this season, as we have a lot of strong returning players throughout each line. We are fortunate to be pairing these returners with a very skilled and unsuspecting younger class, who I am certain will be instrumental in making a positive difference on our team.”

Davenport division champion Canton went to overtime against top seed Somerset Berkeley in last year’s Div. 1 South semifinal and was a goal away from setting up an all-Hock final. The Bulldogs bring back a lot of talent from last year’s squad and will be hoping to make a run at back-to-back titles.

Senior forward Maggie Malloy will once again be the focal point up top after leading the Bulldogs with 27 goals and eight assists last fall. Malloy will be joined up top by sophomore Maria Femia. Junior Kaitlyn Goyetch, the reigning HockomockSports.com Underclassman of the Year, is back in the midfield and she will get helped out by sophomore Meghan Labelle. Senior Katie Trerice will be the leader of the defense and sophomore Rose Malloy will jump in and contribute as well. Sophomore Riley O’Connor will take over in goal this fall.

Canton coach Chrissy O’Connor said, “We are looking forward to seeing the hard work and effort our players put in this pre-season pay off on the field.”

With 14 seniors on the roster this season, Foxboro has set its sights on regaining the Davenport division crown that it lost by just two points to Canton last year. Two years removed from winning the Div. 2 South title, the Warriors seem poised to make another deep tournament run with a team loaded with talent, depth, and experience.

Senior forward Lily Daly, the team’s leading scorer each of the past three seasons, will once again team up with classmate Sophia DiCenso to form one of the league’s most dynamic attacking units. Senior Molly Murphy and junior Jamie Notarangelo will add to an already formidable offense. Senior Meghan Curran will lead the midfield unit along with classmate Carly Stern and the defense will be guided by seniors Caroline McGeary and Kristin Whalen, while senior goalie Julia Carangelo.

After come narrowly short of the league title last season and reaching the sectional semifinal, expectations are typically sky high for one of the league’s perennial powers.

Michelle Hess returns to the Franklin bench this season after eight years away from the program and she inherits a team that has the talent to compete for a league title and expectations of being able to make a deep run in the state tournament as well.

Senior midfielder Cassi Ronan is the primary playmaker for the Panthers and was the team’s leading scorer last fall with 16 goals and eight assists. One of the league’s top players, Ronan will be the primary focus of the opposition, but senior Regan Paterson can take some of that pressure off and will chip in with goals from the forward position. Senior Emily Valentino and junior Maeve Ledwith will provide organization for the defensive unit and senior Christina Luccini will be back in goal to backstop the defense.

“We are looking to improve on last years record and would love to go further in the tournament,” said Hess.

King Philip had a dominating run through the 2017 season, winning the Kelley-Rex title while losing just two games in the Hock all season, and then claiming the Div. 1 South title for the first time. This year, KP has a new coaching staff, with Kimberly Meehan and Erin MacDonald taking over the reigns, and high expectations with an experienced and talented roster.

The Warriors return six seniors, who will be counted on to keep the team focused in its quest for a second straight title. Alli Meehan will be the primary attacking threat again this season. The Northeastern University-commit scored 40 points last regular season, despite missing a couple of games. Senior Claire Lawlor will be on the left wing to support the attack, and senior Nicole Conner will jump into the attack from her midfield position as well. Three-year starter Dana Truini will run the midfield for the Warriors, providing support on both ends of the field. Defensively, senior Emma Izydorczak, a St. Anselm-commit, will be the leader of the back line to keep things organized. Fellow senior Kate Lindmark will also help out for a defense that last year allowed only 13 goals in 23 games.

Expectations remain high for the program this season and the new coaches “anticipate a very successful season led by their powerful seniors.”

Mansfield reached the state tournament again last year and was the only team in the league to beat Kelley-Rex champion King Philip (twice, in fact), but the Hornets have their sights set on returning to the top of the league standings as they did in 2014 and 2015. With a balanced roster that has depth all over the field, the Hornets have a chance to unseat KP in the division.

The Hornets have 10 seniors and experience all over the field. The forward line will include seniors Lauren Clang, Tori Farrington, Alicia Hottleman, Brooke Downy and Hayleigh Crawford. The midfield unit will be led by seniors Maggie Danehy and Kelly Doherty, who showed her versatility last season in several positions. Senior goalie Kayla Hunter is also back to help keep the defense solid. Newcomers like sophomore forward Abby Varricchione and sophomore midfielder Stori Rounds will jump in and contribute as well.

“We have some speed, some strong and some finesse,” said Mansfield coach Theresa Nyhen. “Mansfield field hockey is a team of heart and hustle. As a team, we still have lots of work to do but are looking forward to the fun competition in the Hockomock League.”

New head coach Katie Blackburn will try to improve on Milford’s three wins from last season with a group that has a lot of experience, especially on the back line, and speedy forward line that will try to fire in the goals.

The defense is filled with upperclassmen with seniors Eliza Valente and Emily Haley anchoring the back line along with junior Paige Reisman. Juniors Bella Gonzalez and Kathryn Swineford will be key players in the midfield and sophomore Madison Carneiro is a player to watch in the Milford front line, which Blackburn said would include a number of players that have a variety of skill sets.

Blackburn added, “Each player is unique and it has been exciting to see them all learning how to play together. We have a lot of speed as well as ball handling skills that will help us move the ball up the field and into the attacking circle.”

North Attleboro got back into the state tournament last fall, only to run into perennial power Walpole in the second round, and the Rocketeers have a deep roster to make another run this year and potentially challenge Canton and Foxboro at the top of the Davenport. The new turf at Beaupre Field should also help North utilize the team’s speed.

The Rocketeers have a ton of experience coming back this season, including seniors Abby Calistra, Julia Feid, Shaylee Maxcy, and Lizzie Frost, who will form a solid defensive corps in front of junior goalie Emma Strachan, who head coach Karen Folan said has improved her quickness in the off-season. Speedy midfielders Michelle Pothier and fellow junior Lindsay Robinson will join senior Jess Strachan, while senior Tara Nair and junior Faith Graveline will be up top.

Folan said, “We are looking forward to another year in the competitive Hockomock League. Our offense will start with our defense this season. We hope to use our cohesive ball movement to transition the ball quickly up the field and into the offensive circle to generate lots of shots on net.”

Oliver Ames is coming off a strong regular season performance, tying for third place in the Kelley-Rex division with 18 points, but they had to go on the road to Taunton in the playoffs and lost an overtime heartbreaker. First-year coach Sharon Lawrence takes over this season and has a roster with 11 juniors and seniors to try and make another run at a postseason bid.

Senior Meghan Rockey is one of the players that the Tigers will turn to this year and she will try to control the middle of the field. Fellow senior Kayla Lozzi can step in at forward or midfield and scored 10 points (four goals and six assists) for OA last season, while senior Samantha Clapp adds a defensive presence whether in midfield or defense. Lawrence is also excited for the contributions from the younger players, including sophomore forward Hannah Stryke, who is the Tigers top returning scorer with seven goals and four assists as a freshman.

“As a first-year coach, my focus has been on learning and assessing our talent and athleticism to position our players as a team for optimal success,” Lawrence said. “We have returning starters as well as new young talent on both offense and defense, and look to be competitive this season.”

First-year head coach Ashley Courville is looking to build the program from the ground up, and she is counting on a large roster and a core of returning players to get Sharon moving in the right direction this season. With only one sophomore on the roster, experience shouldn’t be an issue for the Eagles as they turn things around.

The defense will be led seniors Varsha Poreddy and Rebecca Clayman. Junior Blaize Hanna will also be part of that group this fall. The midfield has seniors Georgia Cheney and Lauren Yaffe to help out in the attack and also chip in on the defensive side of things. Sophomore Lauren Prenaveau is another player to watch in the Eagles midfield. Up top, senior forward Elizabeth Romantz will be counted on to add to Sharon’s goal tally.

Courville said, “We have a large team this year with a handful of returning players giving the team consistency and determination. Our defense has added strength and depth, while our offense has added speed.”

Stoughton graduated 13 players from last year’s team and then lost leading scorer Julia Russell to a knee injury, but there is hope for the Black Knights to make a run at a state tournament spot as the inexperienced players gain valuable minutes at the varsity level.

Defense will be a strength for Stoughton this fall, with returning seniors Katie Widrow and Jeanna Girolamo adding stability and keeping things organized at the back. Sophomore Kayla Lobby will start in goal for the Black Knights. In the midfield, senior Jordan Lyons is a strong two-way player and she will be looking to get the ball forward to the sticks of seniors Allie Howe and Alanna McCormick, who will both be trying to make up for the production that was expected from Russell.

Stoughton coach Dan Mark is hopeful that his team can meet its potential. He said, “We will be inexperienced in many areas, but do have several players who played regularly last year.”

Taunton had one of its best seasons in program history last year, winning 11 games and advancing in the playoffs for the first time by beating Oliver Ames in an overtime thriller. The Tigers will look to build on that success and compete with the top teams in the ultra-competitive Kelley-Rex division.

The Taunton midfield will be a strength this season, as it is filled with experienced players. Seniors Jillian Pagliuca, Lauren Torres, and Mabel Smith are all capable of making plays on both ends of the field and all read the game well to keep the Tigers moving in the right direction. Senior forward Ciera Bartel will be joined up front by last year’s playoff hero Alana Tavares. The sophomore forward scored the game-winner against OA and has the speed to cause defense lots of problems. The Tigers defense will be led by junior Kathryn Robinson and sophomore Jocelyn Pagliuca and if anyone gets through then senior goalie Emma Sheehan will be there to stop them.

Taunton coach Liz Hathaway said, “This team has come together and have a great on field bond that allows them to successfully execute plays and breakaways.”

Girls Soccer
Milford, 0 @ Holliston, 2 – Final – MHS head coach Jay Mastaj said Juliana France played well for the Scarlet Hawks in the loss.

Oliver Ames, 2 vs. Brockton, 0 – Final – Oliver Ames scored once in each half to sweep the season series with neighboring Brockton. Anabella Walsh opened the scoring the first half, finishing off a cross from Abby Hodges to put the home side ahead. Anna Tempestoso doubled the Tigers’ lead in the second half, converting a penalty kick. OAHS head coach Britt Sellmayer said Maeve Hogan and Maggie Ault anchored OA’s back line.

Field Hockey
Franklin, 0 vs. Walpole, 3 – Final – Franklin junior goalie Anna Jardine made a highlight-reel save with a beautiful slide tackle on a breakaway as one of her career-high 16 saves but the Panthers fell to state perennial power Walpole. FHS head coach Lisa Cropper noted sophomore Maeve Ledwith and junior Cassi Ronan also played well for Franklin.

Stoughton, 5 @ East Bridgewater, 0 – Final – Allie Howe led Stoughton’s offense with a pair of goals while Brittni Paul, Julia Russell and Alanna McCormick each netted a goal apiece.

Today’s games are listed below. We will update this post with any changes we receive.

Boys Soccer
Stoughton @ Norwood – Postponed to 9/29 at 3:45

Girls Soccer
Foxboro, 5 vs. Walpole, 0 – Final – Lily Sykes scored a hat trick and “played amazing overall,” according to head coach Katie Stalcup, as the Warriors won a third straight game. Katelyn Mollica scored a first half goal and Lizzy Davis chipped in with a goal with a minute left.

Franklin, 2 @ Taunton, 0 – Final – Halle Atkinson scored the first goal for the Panthers at the half hour mark and an own goal with 20 minutes to play sealed the two points for Franklin in an even game played in blustery conditions. Cat Robbins earned another clean sheet with four saves and Grace Pimenta made 10 saves in the loss for the Tigers.

Stoughton vs. Norwood – Postponed to 9/29 at 3:45

Field Hockey
Taunton, 3 @ Franklin, 6 – Final – Franklin junior Cassi Ronan paced Franklin with a pair of goals and also added an assist while controlling the midfield as the Panthers doubled up on visiting Taunton. Freshman Victoria Quinn scored twice and junior Annie Walsh had two assists and one goal. Junior Ashley Reutlinger also scored for the Panthers and played “an outstanding game on the wing” according to head coach Lisa Cropper. Cropper also highlighted the defensive work of sophomore Maeve Ledwith and senior Caroline Jackson.

Volleyball
Foxboro, 3 @ Norton, 2 – Final

Franklin, 3 vs. Brockton, 1 – Final – Franklin’s Ellie Wisniewski had a strong performance for the second straight game, helping the Panthers rally from a one-set deficit for a 21-25, 25-17, 25-23, 25-12 win. Wisniewski had 14 kills, five digs and four aces while Maggie Doyle added 10 kills, three blocks and three aces. Junior Lauren McGrath had another strong performance from the setter spot with 37 assists, three kills and two aces.

Stoughton, 3 vs. Norwood, 0 – Final – Stoughton defended its home court with a 25-21, 25-23, 25-16 sweep in non-league game against Norwood.. Senior Val Whalen led Stoughton with 18 kills, six blocks and 20 digs. SHS head coach Erica Batchelder said the Black Knights received a strong defensive showing from seniors Haley Stone and Vicky Ramos.

North Attleboro @ Canton – Postponed to 10/17 at 3:00
Milford @ Foxboro – Postponed to 10/16 at 3:00
Taunton @ Stoughton – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.
King Philip @ Mansfield – Postponed to a date and time to be announced.